High-Level Interview | Promoting Sino-Korean Reciprocal Cooperation to Deliver Tangible Benefits for the People of Both Countries — Interview with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol

Seoul, October 29 (Xinhua) - High end Interview | Willing to Promote Mutually Beneficial Cooperation between South Korea and China and Create Results that the People of Both Countries Can Feel firsthand - Interview with South Korean President Lee Jae myung

Xinhua News Agency reporters Lu Rui and Zhang Can
 

Li Zaiming said that China and South Korea, as major global economies, are partners in promoting regional development and prosperity. At present, China remains South Korea's largest trading partner and a core partner in ensuring supply chain stability. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China in 1992, a complementary industrial structure and supply chain have been formed, and close cooperation has been carried out. Based on this, the two countries have maintained and continued to develop trade and investment relations despite the current global economic uncertainty. Such active economic and trade exchanges inject momentum into industries and economies in the Asia Pacific region and even globally.

 

Li Zaiming also expects both sides to strengthen cooperation in cultural, environmental and other fields, improve the "quality of life" of the two peoples, and continue to work hard to expand personnel exchanges.

Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Lee Jae myung stated that he will strengthen strategic communication with China based on the consensus that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula are in line with the common interests of South Korea and China, and achieve denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. We urgently need China to play a constructive role in the substantive resolution of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and the peaceful construction of the Korean Peninsula on the issue of 'peace'

This year marks the second time in 20 years that South Korea has hosted the APEC Economic Leaders' Informal Meeting. Li Zaiming said that as the host country, South Korea is committed to revitalizing the willingness of APEC member economies to cooperate through this meeting, promoting the implementation of various cooperation projects to achieve common prosperity and development, and making APEC a "practical and effective platform for cooperation".

He said that most APEC member economies are facing issues such as AI innovation and demographic changes, and this year's meeting will seek solutions and cooperation models in this regard. AI innovation or responding to demographic changes, the efforts of an economy alone are still limited. The best solution can only be reached when all parties gather together to share excellent policies and explore diverse policy options. ”

I will closely consult with APEC member economies, including China, to make APEC a multilateral platform that not only explores trade and investment, but also discusses future economic and trade related issues such as AI and population structure. ”Li Zaiming said.

Li Zaiming is very pleased that China will host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2026. He emphasized that both South Korea and China support building the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) into an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia Pacific community, which can promote mutual cooperation within the APEC framework. The experience of South Korea and China working together for growth and common development in various fields will greatly help achieve the goal of 'common prosperity in the Asia Pacific region' of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

In order for China to successfully lead the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting next year, South Korea will provide assistance. In particular, it will support China in continuing to explore and develop the AI cooperation and response to demographic changes proposed by South Korea. ”He said.

When it comes to his experience of visiting China, Li Zaiming said that he has visited China multiple times during his tenure as Mayor of Chengnan and Governor of Gyeonggi Province. In 2016, he signed an agreement to establish a friendly city between Chengnan City and Huizhou City in Guangdong Province, China. In 2017, he attended the Summer Davos Forum held in Dalian, and in 2019, he visited Chongqing. "There were many things that left a deep impression on me.

The splendid culture and economic development of China have left a deep impression on me, and I can look forward to a bright future for the relationship between South Korea and China from it, "he said.

Li Zaiming emphasized that in order to correctly set the development direction of South Korea China relations and maintain the momentum of mutually beneficial cooperation, it is particularly important to deepen political mutual trust and maintain strategic communication through the visits of the two heads of state.  

Looking ahead to future economic and technological cooperation between the two countries, Li Zaiming stated that with the significant improvement of China's industrial competitiveness and high-tech capabilities, competition between enterprises from the two countries is becoming increasingly prominent. However, I believe that South Korea and China can gather wisdom and promote the mature development of their strategic partnership based on 'friendly competition' and 'equal cooperation'. In particular, I believe that the two countries urgently need to explore new complementary cooperation models in the economic and trade fields to further stimulate the vitality of their enterprises and industries